Today I have a guest post for you from Amily who reached out to me and asked if she could share one of her favorite vegan recipes with the readers of Vegan Runner Eats. Amily’s Vegan Ricotta-Stuffed Eggplant Rolls can become a great addition to your Valentine’s Day dinner.

Here’s what Amily says:

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and streets start flooding with energized romantics, toy hearts and chocolates of all shapes and sizes. This time of the year, especially, we are all craving to surprise our loved ones with a delicious dinner.

Today I’d like to share a recipe for my Vegan Ricotta-Stuffed Eggplant Rolls – a healthy, heavenly starter dish that’s guaranteed to win the heart of your Valentine, whether they are vegan or not.

These Eggplant-Ricotta Rolls take about 30 minutes to make, and serve 4 people as a starter - a perfect amount of food for a double date with your best friend and their significant other.

Ingredients

For the Vegan Ricotta:

1 1/2 cups of raw cashews, soaked in water for 1-2 hours or overnight

7oz firm tofu

Juice of one third of a lemon (around 2/3 tablespoons)

1/4 cup of soy (or any other non-dairy) milk

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the Rolls:

2 medium eggplants

2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

To Serve (optional):

Fresh herbs like chives, parsley, etc.

Grated lemon zest

Marinara sauce

Instructions

Prepare the Vegan Ricotta:

Place the drained cashews into a food processor along with the tofu. Add half of the non-dairy milk, and blend the mixture until relatively smooth but with a bit of the grainy texture left.

Add the rest of the ingredients: lemon juice, salt and pepper. Proportions may vary depending on how flavourful you want the “cheese” to be.

Prepare the Eggplant:

Cut the eggplants in 1/2" thick slices lengthwise (do not use the green top part).

Preheat a cast iron or a thick-walled nonstick frying pan with 1-2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. For extra flavor and a more intricate taste, chop up one small clove of garlic and let it sit in the olive oil for some time - this will infuse it with slight pungency. (It is up to you whether you want to keep the small pieces of garlic in the oil or remove them before adding the oil to the pan.)

Once the oil is hot, place the eggplant slices into the pan in a single layer, working in batches. Cook over medium heat, waiting for the bottoms of each piece to turn a beautiful shade of brown, and then flip.

Once all of the eggplant is cooked, let the slices cool slightly.

Assemble the Rolls:

Place the cooked eggplant slices on a cutting board, and spread a thin layer of vegan ricotta on each of them, then roll each slice into a tight roll. If you find that they do not stay in a roll, you can use a toothpick to stabilize them. (Make sure to take them out before serving the dish!)

Serve the eggplant-ricotta rolls chilled or at room temperature. Feel free to top them with some chopped chives or a drizzle of lemon zest, or with some marinara sauce for a classic Italian touch.

Amily is a longtime vegan, red wine advocate, and health ambassador. Member of a team of freelance writers from New York publishing recipes for the Secrets of Vegan Baking blog and product reviews for Consumerion site.

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About Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Being vegan eventually opened her eyes on the issues of animal welfare, environmental protection, human rights and feminism. Alina hopes that her blog will help its readers on their path to making this world a better place.

Welcome to Vegan Runner Eats! My name is Alina, and my goal is to show you that leading a vegan lifestyle can be easy, healthy and enjoyable. I share delicious plant-based recipes, cooking tips, insights on vegan parenting, traveling, and staying fit as a mom. See the most popular posts from the blog over here.